LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 189, 21 September 1871, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The English mail via San Francisco closes at thp Lawrence Post-office on Wedensday, the 27 th inst.

The Athenaeum Readings were brought to a close for the season on Friday last, when there was a good attendance of the pnblic. The proceedings terminated with a dance. The Wetlierstones Readings stand postponed till the 2Sth inst. A SHEET containing the lithographed portraits

of the members of onr present (probably last) Provincial Council has been published by Messrs. Mills, Dick, Lister, & Co , and lias, we undei&tand, commanded a good sale. On the whole, the likenesses are good, and the gallery is a credit to the enterprising firm from which it emanates.

The members of the Weslcyan Church, Lawrence, purpose, at an early date, to erect a suitable residence for their minister.

In the Assembly, on the 16th irst, on Karaitiaua Tokonioana's motion for the appointment of Maori members to the Legislative Council, a Maori member of the Ministry, and the increase of the number of Maori members to twelve, being discussed, the Government supported the first proposal, promising to call some cheifs to .the Legislative Council as soon as they were able to select men whcss promotion would not excite jealousy. The first proposal was 'carried, and the rest negatived. The Port Chalmers' Railway Bill has had a new clause added by the (Governor, fixing the gauge at 3ft Gin. Mr. Stafford in a shoitand temperate spepch, moved for the appointment of a Select. Committee to inquire into the management and administration of ihe Telegraph Department. The words " that the Cinmittee shall not nave power to require the production of private telegrams, or to examine officers regarding the contents thereof" Laving been added to the mot.ion, it was, after some discussion agreed to. The 'Government promised to consider Mr. Shepherd' 3 suggestion of compelling the Banks to publish a statement of all deposits unclaimed for three years.

A PAiiAGRAfH appeared in our last issue to the effect that a Chinaman obtained half an ounce of gold from the sweepings of one of the bank 9. This was partially erroneous, inasmuch as the gold was pbtained from five years' accumulation of lignita ashes, which are well known to contain gold.

A CORRESPONDENT writing from Roxburgh, under date the 13th inst.. says :— Edith Palmer "* ston performed here on Monday and Tuesday to two capital hou&oa. The eatertahiment through' out was a great success, and Edith Palmerston is undoubtedly the most talented artiste we have had a visit from. We had a roinautic marriage here yesterday— a ♦' love at first sight" kind of affair. The bride had been but ten days from town, when an amorous guardian of sheep, nolens volens, redeemed her from bondage, and the nuptial knot was tied. Let us trust the old adage of " marry in haste and repent at leisure " will not be exemplified in this instance. A pet dog of Edith Palmerston'a was poisoned hero during her stay ; and only the other day our banker had his little pet poisoned. Stringent measures should be taken against poison being spread in the town. Rumour has it that it is done by the Chinese to protect their fowls.

The " Dunstan Times " of a recent date says 1 — An announcement has been handed t,° us, having no signature or printers name, but printed we believe at Tuapeka, to the effect that, there is now preparing for the press a full account of the proceedings of the enquiry held at Switzers by Mr. J. P. Maitland, R.M., into the charges preferred by Wilson Acton against War-, den Wood, together with the statements in th» matter of Eiinis v. Simpson, and all correspondence in connection therewith to the General and Provincial Governments. — [We have to state, for the* information of the editor of tha paper mentioned above, that the announcement he refers to was not printed at Tuapeka ; neither have we seen a copy of it — Ed. " T.T."]

At the Supreme Court on the. 12th inst- His Honour Judge Chapman summed up in the case of Reichelt, charged with arson, in a speech of over two hours' duration, when the jury retired, hut being unable to agree after four hours' delihenation, they were discharged. The following day it was decided that Reichelt thould be again tried, by a special jury, on Monaay, tha 25th inst. He was released on bail. Alex. F. M'Kenzie was indicted for having, at Tapanui, on the 28th July last, stolen a steer, the property of W. Magher, After deliberating for five minuies, the jury returned a verdict of " Not fijuilty. " The woman Bridget Gee, charged with infanticide, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.

Last season dreJging on the Molyneux. with but one or two exceptions, was a failure. The cause of -this undisirable resulb 13 attributed, not to the lack of gold, but to the accumulation of tailings, which in some planes covor the original river bottom to a height of seven feet, and being constantly running, render the excavatior of a paddock an impossibility. It is felt that until some improvement is made in the modus ojiercvndi, dredging will have to bo abandoned. The tailings have now reached Dunbarton Rock, below the Teviot, and are steadily flowing down the river. Messrs. Halliday and Co., of fie Galatea dredge, near Alexandra — th» most, if not the only successful party— struck % bar in the early part of the season, and in a vary short time took out nearly £5000 worth of the precious metal.

It is proposed to entertain the Rev. Dr. Copland at a farewell soiree on the 10 prox., prior to his depaiture for Dunedin.

We learn from an authentic source that Mr. W. J. Barry;- the well-known auctioneer of Cromwell, is likely to succeed to a valuable property in New South "Wales. The various incidents connected with the property in question would form an excellent ground-work for a sensational nove 1 . We notice that Mr. Barry is advertising for an amanuensis to lecord his adventures in the colonies during the. last forty -five years.

The inanuer in which the gold escort from the Lake 3to the Dunstan is equipp-j I. i 3, to s?;* the least, posit)' d' •"iinda'u.rts. The bags provided for tbi :oij-' <->f !._ s-^.-l -v.t in a dilapidated conui' ' , ■,! hi fastening them on «... nj., -- saddles they baffle description. The norses look ashamel of their harness, and well they may, for they would disgrace a respectable dung heap. The Government -will probably provide proper harness when a few hundred ounces of gold- have been lost.

It may seem almost incredible, nevertheless it is true, that those to whom Mr. Strode recommended portions of the Clyde gold robbery reward should be paid, have not yet received a shilling.

The apprehensions felt that water would be-scarce-during the forthcoming summer, have entirely vanished— tha heavy falk of snow which have recently taken place promising an, abundant supply.

Mr. Fjsraud, of Monte Christe farm, Clyde intends con Mini in? the manufacture of colonial wine during the ensuiug summer. The wina made by Mr! leraud, we can vouch for personal test, being is equal, if not superior in quality, to the best Australian, and should meet with a lat-ae and ready sale.

A fatal accident occurred about eight miles down Tuapeka Flat, on Saturday last, to a, Chinaman named Ah Lee. It appears the »nfortunate man was sinking a shaft, when about a ton of clay slipped from the side of it, and fell upon him. His brother and mates % who were working about ten y».rds from the hols, hearing the noise caused by the fallimr earth, went to his asikifl'.ijc. hut Hisir help wsu of little avail. as he uir.st have, mst with an instautaneons deith. I T pon removing Hie clay, thej found the bo^y much bruised, and one leg broken. The body was removed to the Tuapeka Hotel,. to await an inquest, which was held on Mont day, when a verdict of " Aocidpntal death " waa. returned.

The Roxburgh Hotel, Roxburgh, has been purchased by Mr. Alexander M'Pherson, whq has been its occupier for some time past.

It is proposed to re-organise the Lawrence. Cricket Club this season, several gentleman having expressed their willinjnets toparticipatt* in the movement,